Government News 28/3 Seminars on Vietnam’s security challenges held in Paris Safeguarding independence, as well as sovereignty and territorial integrity in the East Sea is a top priority of Vietnam, said a Vietnamese official at two seminars held recently in Paris. Hoang Anh Tuan, Head of the Institute for Strategic Studies and Foreign Policy under the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, delivered speeches at two seminars on security challenges facing Vietnam in 2015 at the French Military Academy’s Institute for Strategic Studies and the Vietnamese Embassy in France. According to Tuan, Vietnam is also coping with challenges in handling ties with large countries taking an interest in Southeast Asia, as well as challenges in economic development and prosperity. He stressed the necessity for Vietnam and other ASEAN countries to maintain unity and unanimity to ensure security in the region. Once the ASEAN Community forms at the end of this year, each ASEAN country has to consider the others’ challenges as its own, he stated. It is also necessary for Vietnam to strengthen its economy and its ability to defend itself, speed up comprehensive integration and narrow the development gap with others in the region and the world, he added. Tuan’s speeches were well received by French researchers and scholars. After the seminars, the French Institute for Strategic Studies proposed cooperating in studies with the Vietnamese Institute for Strategic Studies and Foreign Policy. Swiss parliamentarians greeted in Hanoi National Assembly Vice Chairman Huynh Ngoc Son welcomed a delegation from the Swiss Parliament coming to Vietnam for the 132nd Assembly of the Inter-Parliament Union (IPU-132), in Hanoi on March 27. Son described the Swiss parliamentarians’ participation in IPU-132 as a gesture of friendship and a source of support to the Vietnamese National Assembly. Vietnam has always valued multi-dimensional relations with Switzerland and expected to greet more investors from the country, the official said. He wished that the two law-making bodies will increase the exchange of delegations and the sharing of information about issues of mutual concern as well as supporting each other at international forums. Pierre-Francois Veillon, head of the Swiss delegation, spoke highly of Vietnam’s preparation for IPU-132 and showed his belief in the success of the event. He noted that IPU-132 will facilitate linkages among parliaments and parliamentarians in connecting their people. The IPU, established in 1889, currently has 166 members and 10 associate members and works in close cooperation with the UN, regional inter-parliamentary organisations, and international inter-governmental and non-governmental organisations. Venezuela ready to coordinate with Vietnam: Ambassador Venezuela is ready to coordinate with Vietnam in all the necessary cases and completely supports the role of Vietnam in the 132nd of Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU-132) Assembly which opens in Hanoi on March 28, said Ambassador Jorge Rondon Uzcategui. In a recent interview granted to the Vietnam News Agency, the Ambassador congratulates the Government of the National Assembly of Vietnam on the country’s magnificent preparation for the event. He said Venezuela will send an important delegation led by the head of the Internal Affairs of the Parliament with its members being both delegates of the Government and the opposition party. On the occasion, the representative of Venezuela will be one of the Vice-President of the IPU-132, he said, adding “the IPU Assembly this time will be organised in Vietnam, so for us, it is a very important event.” The IPU-132 will take place in Hanoi from March 28-April 1, focusing on sustainable development goals and a number of global issues. More than 160 international delegations, including those from IPU member parliaments, associate members, and foreign organisations, will focus their discussions on the theme “Sustainable development goals: Turning words into action” by reviewing the implementation of the Millennium Development Goals set by the United Nations in 2000 and establishing a framework for development post-2015. They are set to ratify draft resolutions at the Standing Committees on Peace and International Security; Sustainable Development, Finance and Trade; Democracy and Human Rights; and United Nations Affairs. IPU-132 in Hanoi brings symbolic meaning: Russian senator Vietnam ’s organisation of the 132nd Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU-132) is highly significant, stated Dr. Adrey Klimov, Deputy Chairman of the Committee for International Affairs of the Russian Federal Assembly’s Federation Council. Speaking with a Vietnam News Agency correspondent in Moscow before leaving for Hanoi to attend the IPU-132, Dr. Klimov said this is the first time such a majority of parliaments from around the globe will gather in Vietnam . The event coincides with the 40 th anniversary of Vietnam ’s liberation and 70 years since the United Nations was formed in Yalta , Crimea , making it a symbolic occasion, he explained. Dr. Klimov, who is also Head of the ruling United Russian Party’s Committee for International Affairs, said he is glad Vietnam was chosen to host the event, highlighting the diversity and importance of nations around the world, and has faith the event will be a success. He asserted that the parliamentary ties between the two countries will continue growing thanks to the time-honoured tradition of cooperation over the past 70 years. Vietnam and Russia have all the necessary conditions to lift ties between the two parliaments and ruling parties to a new height, he said. Argentinean magazine hails President Ho Chi Minh The training and education supplement of the Argentinean Resumen Latinoamericano magazine has recently released a special issue on the late Vietnamese President Ho Chi Minh on the occasion of his 125th birthday (May 19). The cover page of the edition highlights an image of Ho Chi Minh on the Vietnamese national flag with the title “Ho Chi Minh: The poet who defeated three empires”. In the article “Ho Chi Minh, a strategist of the People’s War”, the newspaper highlighted the consistency of the Vietnamese leader on the path to socialism, recounting his life and revolutionary career. The 12-page edition also includes an article on Ho Chi Minh written by famous Cuban leader Fidel Castro during his visit to Vietnam in 1973. It publishes articles hailing the heroic fight of Vietnamese people against colonialism and imperialism under the leadership of the late President. The historic interview of Cuban journalists Luis Baez and Gabriel Molina with Ho Chi Minh in 1965, during the US war against Vietnam , was also published. There is a page dedicated to the late General Vo Nguyen Giap, a national hero of Vietnam , describing him as a military genius. Carlos Aznarez, Director of the magazine, said that the special edition serves as a bridge for Argentineans, especially young people, to learn more about Ho Chi Minh. Ho Chi Minh and Vo Nguyen Giap are not only resplendent revolutionary figures in Vietnam but also an aspiration to peoples around the world, including those from Latin American, he added. The director also announced a plan to republish the edition and raise the number of copies to 4,000. The Resumen Latinoamericano is widely published in Uruguay , Venezuela , Cuba , and Europe.  Mozambique lauds Vietnam’s preparations for IPU-132 Member of the Mozambican Parliament and head of the Mozambican delegation to the 132nd Inter-Parliamentary Union Assembly (IPU-132) Jose Mateus Kathupa has lauded Vietnam’s efforts to prepare for the event, which opens in Hanoi on March 28. He was received by Vietnamese Ambassador to Mozambique Nguyen Van Trung before leaving for Hanoi. He told the diplomat that the Mozambican delegation to the IPU-132 comprises two members of the ruling Liberation Front (Frelimo) and Head of the opposition Mozambican National Resistance (Renamo) Saimone Muhambi Macuiane. During their stay in Hanoi, the delegation will meet with Vietnamese National Assembly officials to discuss measures to intensify cooperation between the two legislative bodies, he added. Ambassador Trung affirmed that the time-honoured friendship between the two peoples lays a foundation for efficient cooperation between the two countries over the past 40 years, especially after the establishment of diplomatic ties in 1975. Earlier, the ambassador was received by Speaker of the Parliament Veronica Macamo Ndlovu, who expressed her regret that she is unable to attend the IPU-132. She hopes to tighten cooperation between the two legislative bodies through sharing experience in law-making and strengthening supervisory activities. IPU-132 organisation shows growth of Vietnamese NA: Lao official Vietnam’s hosting of the 132nd Assembly of the Inter-Parliament Union (IPU-132) is a strong demonstration of the growth of the country’s National Assembly (NA) and the confidence of the international community and the IPU in its capabilities, a Lao official has said. During his recent interview with a Laos-based Vietnam News Agency correspondent, Head of the Lao National Assembly’s Foreign Affairs Committee Kukeo Ackhamonty, who will lead a Lao delegation to attend IPU-132 in Hanoi from March 28-April 1, lauded Vietnam’s topic selections for the event, calling them relevant and critical discussion points for the current global development context. He stressed that selected topics, which will focus on realising sustainable development goals, is especially appropriate as global heads of state are to gather in New York City, the US in September to seek common consensus on sustainable development. Kukeo continued to say Laos and Vietnam should enhance links and experience exchange to map out plans for common sustainable development targets, adding that Lao leaders are interested in all post-2015 sustainable development goals. The Lao official affirmed that through the event, Vietnam will contribute to IPU’s activities in the coming years and strengthen the organisation. Portuguese Communist Party delegation visits Vietnam Le Hong Anh, Politburo member and standing member of the Party Central Committee’s Secretariat, received in Hanoi on March 26 a delegation of the Portuguese Communist Party led by Pedro Guerreiro, head of its international department. During the reception, the host affirmed that the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) always treasures its ties with traditional partners including the Portuguese Communist Party. He said that he hopes the Portuguese party will use its prestige in the country to boost bilateral relations between Vietnam and Portugal, especially in economics, trade and investment. The guest assured that his party will contribute to the development of ties between the two countries. Earlier the day, the Portuguese delegation and a CPV delegation led by head of the Party Central Committee’s Commission for External Relations Hoang Binh Quan held talks. VNA